Sideways in Reverse
by Tips At Gossip Girl
Summary: When Nate calls his older sister for help, the Upper East Side eventually becomes filled with once forgotten gossip. And Gregory Bass, Chuck's older brother, doesn't like that at all. Chuck/Blair, OC/OC, Nate/Vanessa and others.
1. Prologue: SOS

**Full Summary:** Nate's been through a lot: issues with Blair, confused feelings for Serena and pressure from his parents. When his mother held him responsible for all family problems, he felt he couldn't handle it alone, so he aimed for the only person he thought could help him: his sister.

It's been five years since Nicole Archibald graduated from Constance and left New York. When her parents left her with two choices: leave or college, Nicole surprised everyone and moved to Los Angeles. Since then, she never returned to New York and had been distanced from her parents and younger brother. Nate never understood why she had to leave, and all Upper East Side wondered if she actually left only because of college.

Gregory Bass, Nicole's once BFF from high school is currently married and living in London, where he takes care of the Bass Industries in Europe. When he finds out that Nicole is back to New York, he finds himself challenged for her dare. And you never challenge a Bass... Where do you think Chuck Bass learned all he knows?

**

* * *

**_**A/N:**__ Hello everyone!_

_This is my first Gossip Girl fanfiction and it's entirely based on the series. I had published this a few days ago, but had it slightly revised, so I'm publishing it again._

The story will have Chuck/Blair later on (because we all love that) and also some Nate pairing with different girls as the story goes on.  


_It's mostly also Nate's and his sister's point of view of things, but eventually Greg's and even Chuck's.  
_

_I will be having __**two main OCs**__, as you might have noticed, and possibly more minor ones as the story goes on. The main OCs are Nicole Archibald, Nate's big sister and Gregory Bass, Chuck's older brother who will come in later in the story. And yes, they're also a pair.  
_

_For pictures of whom I imagine being Nicole and Greg, please visit my profile for the links. Fear not, for __**I will **__**not**__** pair them with the Canon Characters**__, they both went to school together, a bit before Nate and Chuck went themselves. And I tend to explore this later in the story._

_The story picks up from season one, episode six, right after Nate got home and his mom accused him of being on drugs. As usual in my stories, the prologue is shorter than the rest of the chapter. _

_Enjoy and please review!_

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****Prologue – S.O.S**

"So, what do you have to say for yourself, Nate?" Anne Archibald said in a sneer, clearly trying to hold back tears of discontentment. Nate glanced from her to his father sitting by her side; Howard Archibald had his eyes fixed on the nothing, unable to stare at his son.

"What?" Nate asked a little more shocked than confused. He tried, helplessly to make his father look at him. He couldn't believe he would let him take the guilt for that.

"Well, it isn't mine, and it isn't your father's," Anne said, waving the sack of cocaine with a certain disgust. "So that only leaves one other person in this house."

Nate felt as if the ground had vanished from under his feet. He had a horrible night and he hadn't sleep well since he found that same pack of cocaine among his father's things, and now this. He sighed and shook his head slightly.

"May I be excused?" he asked under his breath.

"No, you may not—" Anne started raising her voice, but Howard's voice cut her.

"_Yes_," Howard said an octave higher than Anne and stared at her when she looked intently at him. "He needs a little time," he added.

Anne looked from the captain to Nate and nodded. Nate stood there for a second trying again to make his father look at him, but the captain didn't dare to. Nate then turned around and left the room, running upstairs to his own room.

In a fury Nate slammed the door behind him as he entered the room. He took a deep breath, throwing the mask on the bed and taking his hands to his hair. He closed his eyes and stood there for a second, just hearing the sound of his breath and his mother's muffled screams coming from downstairs.

He then opened his eyes and took his cell phone from his pocket. Scrolling down some names he pressed the green on Nicole and took the phone to his ear as he threw himself on the bed.

After a few seconds, a young woman's voice picked up.

"Hey, look who the cat dragged in!" Nicole said on the other side with a laugh. "How are you, honey?"

"Hey Nic," Nate couldn't help to smile when he heard her voice. "Do you uh... Do you have a second? Is it too late... or too early there?"

"Honey, I'm in LA, not Japan, it's a little past 10 PM," Nicole said on the other side as she, in her apartment in Los Angeles, sat on a couch. "But what's up? Why are you sounding like that?"

"It's dad—"

"Oh, what did the captain do this time? When he told me about Dartmouth I told him to ease up a little on you," Nicole said, holding the phone with her shoulder as she unzipped her boots; had he called three minute before and he wouldn't have found her home.

"It's also mom and... Blair and... Everything," he sighed laying his head against the pillow and closing his eyes. Feeling a slight headache from all the stress he's been put through in the past few days.

"No, wait," Nicole stopped immediately what she was doing. Very rarely she heard that tone of voice coming from her brother and the rare times it happened, something really bad was troubling him.

"Mom told me you were doing great," Nicole continued and Nate let out a sarcastic laugh at that: this is what their parents wanted her to believe. "She told me you and Blair had a fight, but she didn't tell me it was this serious. Also, what the hell are mom and dad doing with you now? Are they insisting on Dartmouth again?"

"I found cocaine on dad's things." Nate said at once, he didn't know where to begin to tell her; their parents did a good job deceiving her of what was going on, and he had to start telling her the truth from somewhere.

"You did _what_?" Nicole said after a brief moment of silence.

"Yeah, I did," he confirmed, nodding alone in his room, one hand holding his cell phone and the other massaging the other side of his head. "A week ago or something I found out dad had moved money from my account, it was all gone, then I talked to him and he said he was moving accounts. Next day it was there again, I thought we were having some financial problems... Then I found cocaine on his things and was sure of it."

Nicole stayed in silence on the other end of the line. Nate knew she believed him, she always did. Ever since she left, he would call her now and then to relieve the stress: she was fun and she always understood him. It was his escape to talk to her when everything seemed to be falling apart. But this time he needed more than just hearing her voice on the other side of the line. And he prayed in silence for her to do what he expected her to.

"Nate," she said slowly and took a deep breath. "You think you can hang on alone for a couple of days?"

"I guess, I don't know, this isn't all," he replied carefully. "Mom found the same pack of cocaine on my things and she thought it was mine."

"And he didn't say anything?!" she asked with her voice higher than she wished.

"No," Nate replied quietly.

"Okay, uh, you hang on, alright?" she started, he could feel how tensed she was only by the tone of her voice. "I will try to catch the first plane back to New York. I was going to arrange things here first, but this isn't the right time to plan anything."

"Sorry Nic, I didn't mean to mess up your whole life," he started, even though he wished more than anything for her to go back.

Ever since Nicole left, he only saw her on Christmas Holidays. She always went to Connecticut to spend the holidays with the family, even though the tension between her and their parents was still a bit complicated. In the beginning their parents left her with no money when she moved, but within a few months their dad was helping her again. But Nicole never returned to New York, and Nate wasn't sure if she ever would.

"You should have told me before about the drugs and even the money, Nate." Nicole said with a concerned sigh as she walked from side to the other in her living room in Los Angeles.

"I know, I'm sorry—"

"It _isn't_ your fault." she replied quickly as she stopped walking. "You listen, I know how mom and dad can lay their frustrations on you, they did the same with me, but this is _not_ your fault, do you understand?"

"I do," he smiled on the other side. He was already missing this concerned Nicole from the last time they talked on the phone. "Thanks Nic, I know how hard it is for you to come back."

"Don't tell them I'm coming, alright?" Nicole replied. "Don't tell anyone, actually. I'll try to find a late flight and maybe tomorrow by night I'm there, the latest the day after tomorrow by morning."

"Uh-huh"

"I'll keep you posted, okay?"

"Ok," Nate said. "Really Nic, thank you."

"We're a family, Nate," Nicole replied quietly. "We're supposed to be there to each other... And oh, one more thing before I hang up."

"Yeah?"

"I love you," she said with a smile on the other side. "Don't you forget."

"I love you too." Nate replied also with a smile and hung up. He then took a deep breath and for the first time in weeks, he had the sensation that everything would be alright.


	2. Chapter I: Victor, Victrola

**Chapter ****I – Victor, Victrola**

_**From:**__ Nicole.  
Honey, I leave tomorrow in the morning. Be there by midday. I'll get you after school. Love u. – Nic._

Nate read the message again as he stepped inside the halls of St. Jude's. So it would take another day for Nicole to be in town. He took a deep breath, trying to find the best of it: at least she was coming. He closed his cell phone as he remembered something else: he had to find Jenny and he had to do it fast.

As he walked from the halls of St. Jude to Constance he reviewed the facts of that morning in his mind: his mother had chosen a few rehab centers for him to go to and he finally had the chance to tell his father in private that he knew the drugs were his.

'The old man doesn't wear the hours as well as he used to', his father told him that morning. Alleging that this guy at the office offered him the coke, he didn't even like and he would flush it as soon as he got the chance. However, typical of Howie Archibald, he cut the conversation short and said he would talk to his mom before he had to end up in one of those facilities without having to. He promised to meet Nate after school for drinks.

Nate wasn't very sure if his father was actually telling the truth, but he wondered for a second if he had done right calling Nicole for help. What if their father actually never uses those things again? Would Nicole be mad at him for coming to New York for nothing?

But this wasn't all of Nate's problems: he also had Blair to deal with. He still held strong feelings for her, but his mind was confused with Serena's come back. And he still had to apologize for being so distant at the masquerade ball… But more than that, he had to find Jenny first.

"Oh," Nate said as he found Jenny just crossing the hall in front of him. "Serena, right?" he asked sarcastic.

"Uh," Jenny said a little shy and surprised. "That-That's funny."

"Not really, no." he said with a laugh, though a bit serious. He knew already it was Jenny he told his feelings for Serena last night, not really Serena. And he had to fix that; fast.

"No, uh…" Jenny agreed with a shy smile. "So, what are you doing in the girls' hall?"

"I was looking for you, actually." He said and she raised her eyebrows as he gestured for her to follow him outside.

"You know, I really didn't mean anything I said," he started, sitting on a bench outside. "About having feelings for Serena."

"Maybe you didn't," Jenny replied quickly, sitting by his side. "I just— I mean, I don't even care. But other people might."

"Yeah, I know," Nate nodded.

"Yeah, including my brother." She said observing as took a brown rectangular box with a yellow bow around it. "You brought me chocolates?"

"Look," Nate said. "I know you care about being friends with Blair. And your brother, he's with Serena. And I just really need you to help me out here. You promise?"

"Promise what?" Blair's voice came from his other side and he turned around immediately, hugging his girlfriend and turning the box of chocolates to her.

"Promise to help come up with a more creative apology than these," he thought of quickly, handing the box to Blair. "I'm sorry for taking you for granted lately, okay?"

"Aw," Blair said with a bright smile, taking the box with her hands. "That is so sweet. But I prefer the gold collection," she said with smile, kissing him briefly on the lips. "But thank you!"

As they talked, Blair observed slyly Jenny rolling her eyes to her and leaving. But right after kissing Nate, she stood up and followed her. Nate observed for a second as they talked, but quickly Blair returned to him and sat by his side.

"So, will you tell me what happened yesterday?" she asked with a smile.

"I'm sorry, there is just a lot in my mind lately," he said thoughtfully, but careful for her not to note he really had a lot on his mind. "Let's just forget that, huh?"

"Okay," Blair smiled and laid on to kiss him as she heard the bell. After a brief kiss she picked up her bag and books. "See you after school?"

"No, sorry," Nate said, standing up. "I've got this thing with my dad."

"It's okay, don't worry." She smiled nodding and waved goodbye as she stepped inside the halls of Constance, with that, Nate turned the other way and entered St. Jude's.

**x**

"Hey dad," Nate said after he heard his father answering the phone. "I'm like, ten blocks away."

Nate barely could pay attention at school that day, thinking of the conversation he had with his father and rest of it that he was about to have. As soon as he left school he went straight toward his father's office, which wasn't so far away from St. Jude's.

"What?" Howard Archibald said on the other side of the line. "Oh sorry, Nate. I have to take a rain check on our drink."

"Why?" Nate stopped his pace, not believing what he just heard.

"Client in crisis," Howard said. "Can't get out of the office. But I will come home as soon as I can."

"Well, dad," Nate said, clearly disappointed. "Our talk was kind of important."

"It's business, Nate. You understand, right?" Howard said. "We'll talk later."

And before Nate could answer, he hung up. Nate sighed and hung up himself, putting the cell back on his pocket. He stood there for a moment before deciding to go to his father's office anyway and continued his pace.

It didn't take long for him to reach the building and he quickly made his way through the exquisite reception. The receptionist smiled, recognizing him, but didn't announce his entrance, since he was family. So Nate went up the marbled stairs and stood at the top of it as he had a sight of his father's office.

He could see some men drinking and talking lowly and he observed as his father stood up from an armchair and walked out of the office. Quickly before being seen, Nate walked to the corridor, so he could observe as his father went downstairs.

And then he saw what he's been expecting to: Howard Archibald trading money for another sack of cocaine. He just couldn't believe his eyes, even though he already knew it.

**x**

Next morning, Nate woke up with the sound of his cell. He took it immediately, but saw it was a call from Chuck and didn't bother to answer. He stood up from his bed and carried on with his morning duties: showering and getting ready to school.

He still couldn't believe his dad lied again to him, but he thought it was best to wait for Nicole to come home, so he could tell her and they would deal with it together.

As he finished getting dressed he picked his phone again and listened to Chuck's message: _'Nathaniel, your position in my esteem has been replaced by your voice mail. So Bart didn't go for Victrola, but truth is I bought the house out already for tonight and it's not a par-tay without my people or any people. I'll see you there.'_

And there again, Nate completely forgot Chuck had been trying to get his father to invest in this burlesque club. Apparently it didn't work for his friend and also apparently by Chuck's voice, he again discounted it on drinking. But Nate wasn't sure he was the right person to be on Chuck's side on that moment and with that thought, he headed alone to school, avoiding seeing his mother on the hallways of their house.

Meeting Chuck only on his last period was actually the best thing that could have happened to him that morning. He observed Chuck's lost hung-over eyes in class and half laughed as his friend joined him when the bell rang.

"Man, I can't believe he didn't go for it," Chuck said as they crossed the hallways. "I mean, the proposal was fantastic."

"I know, huh." Nate said distractively as he heard both his and Chuck's cell ringing at the same time. And when this happened, it meant only one thing: Gossip Girl.

_**From:**__ Gossip Girl.  
Spotted: Nicole Archibald at the JFK. A lot of come backs lately. Who's next? – Gossip Girl._

"Oh, I get you now," Chuck said after reading the message and scrolling down the picture of a brunette blue eyed woman on his cell phone, just outside the JFK, taking a cab. "You didn't tell me your sis would be back."

"I didn't have to, after all," Nate said a bit irritated by the fact not even his sister escaped Gossip Girl.

"She looks hotter than ever," Chuck said, still analyzing the picture, as they stepped outside.

"Oh shut up." Nate said and before Chuck could even reply, they were both taken by surprise as a girl quickly wrapped her arms around Nate.

"Nate!" Nicole said, still with her arms wrapped around Nate's neck in a strong embrace. She felt him taken by surprise, but soon his arms were around her waist, returning the hug.

"Oh, it's so good to see you!" she said with a smile, distancing herself from him so she could look at his eyes.

Nicole Archibald was a brunette of 23 years old. Her skin was fairly white, and very slightly tanned. Her eyes were bright blue, just like her brother and her black hair was slightly waved and a little longer than her bust line. Her lips were full and her face features delicate; her slim body wore a pair of dark jeans with high heel boots up to her knees, over her jeans combined with a simple black shirt buttoned up, leaving a small cleavage. In her right hand she carried a black Chanel bag and a pack of cigarettes.

"It's good to see you too," Nate said, observing his sister. "You look great. I missed you."

"Oh honey, I missed you, too," Nicole said with a smile, caressing her brother's cheek. "But I'm here now."

"Sorry to burst into this beautiful family moment." Chuck's voice came from their right and both Nicole and Nate looked at him, who had been staring at Nicole for long seconds.

"Oh, hey Chuck," Nicole said with a smile. "Sorry I didn't see you there."

"I can be a very good voyeur," Chuck said slyly. Nicole laughed.

"I see you've become nasty just like your brother," she said with a smile and Chuck smiled back, faking a reverence.

"He still more of a gentleman than I will ever be," he replied and Nicole shook her head laughing. "But of course you know all about that."

"Please _don't_, Chuck," she warned, a bit more serious.

Last time she heard of Gregory Bass, he got married to some British girl. She couldn't bring herself in reading about the whole wedding in the social column at the New York Times online, so she barely remembered the girl's name. This was more than four years ago and since then she didn't bother about him anymore. What was in the past, _was_ in the past.

"I'm sorry," he said. It's not like he knew what had ever been between Nicole and his brother, all he knew they were good friends all through high school, but Greg Bass never told him in details of their relationship. "It's good to see you back. You look… Really good."

"And you've grown up," she said with a sarcastic smile and Nate laughed.

"Ouch, thank you," Chuck replied with a smile. "So what brings you back to hell?"

Nicole, who had been holding Nate's hand all the time, gestured with her head to Chuck.

"Does he know?" she asked and Nate nodded. "Well, _that._ This probably had been taking my brother's sleep lately."

"Yeah, I'm sorry about it," Chuck said sincerely and Nicole gestured apathetically, clearly hiding her concern, so he chose to change the subject. "Well, I'm sure now I've seen you again; my sleep will also be taken care of."

"Hey," Nate said in a warning tone. "She's my sister, man."

"Oh, I'm sorry, Nate," Chuck said sarcastically. "But you can't compete with her. I'm sure I'm not the first Bass to lose sleep over her. Actually, Greg will be happy to know you're back."

"Don't you even think—" Nicole started. She knew Chuck was playing, but she also knew he was smart. He didn't know anything about her and his brother, but she could feel he was slowly trying to find out.

"What? I won't tell him, it's not like I need to," Chuck replied with a smile. "Gossip Girl already delivered the happy share of information."

"Gossip what?"

"It's this anonymous girl that gossips around on her blog and through text messages." Nate explained shortly and Nicole rolled her eyes.

"Oh great," she said. "Don't you kids have anything else to worry about?"

"Oh come on, Nicole, you've had your time," Chuck said. "And you're sounding like my grandmother. Besides, don't you worry, Gregory is in London."

"I'm not worried." Nicole said defensively and Chuck nodded sarcastically.

"Yeah, right."

"So, have you seen mom and dad yet?" Nate cut the tension as he saw Nicole's furious eyes staring at Chuck's suggestive ones.

"No, I'm going there now with you." Nicole replied, looking from Chuck to Nate. "I'm staying at the Palace."

"What?" Nate asked in shock, distancing himself from her again. "I thought you were coming home, literally."

"Look Nate, it's complicated," Nicole said lowly, biting her lower lip, then she looked at Chuck standing there watching the two of them. "Some privacy, please?"

"Oh, sorry," Chuck said and walked toward his limo waiting for him. "See you both later." And after a wave from Nicole and a nod from Nate, he entered the limo and left.

"Listen," Nicole said after she put the pack of cigarettes back in her purse and approached Nate again, taking his hand. "Mom and dad never really got over the fact I didn't go to college. Which is why they're so hard on you. I'm the good child gone bad for them, so I don't think it's the time for me to just come home with my bags and all."

"But I need you there." Nate said with a sigh and looked at the ground, the back to her eyes, even though she was older, she was slightly shorter than him, even wearing heels. "You have no idea how hard it is to be there."

"You don't have to be there, you can stay at the Palace, with me." She said with a caring smile, carefully squeezing his fingers with hers. "You told me yourself you're always crashing over at Chuck's suite there. You can be with me now."

"Anyway, we better get going," she said with a smile after he nodded and walked towards the street, waving her hand to a taxi that stopped for them. Nate held the door for her and entered right after.

"So, fill me up," she said after telling the driver their home address.

Nate glanced at the driver by the rear mirror and made sure he wasn't paying attention to their conversation. Even though the driver did seem way too distracted, he sat closer to his sister, who took his hand again.

"I saw dad buying more yesterday," he said lowly, but she could hear him well. She didn't seem very surprised, but nodded for him to continue. "Yesterday we were supposed to have drinks after school to discuss this, but he canceled. I went to his office anyway and saw him buying more from this guy."

"Do you know him?" Nicole asked as lowly.

"No, never saw him there before."

"Well, we gotta tell mom," she said and he nodded.

"She probably won't believe us," he said, shrugging his shoulders. "I know she never believes me."

"Well, we will make her then," Nicole said with a reassuring smile and laid over, kissing him on the cheek. "Don't worry, everything will be alright."

**x**

"Nathaniel! Good, you're back." Anne Archibald said after she glanced to the stairs and caught a glimpse of Nate. "I'm late for my blowout at Arden's, but good you—"

"Hey mom," Nicole said after she stopped talking suddenly as she looked back at the stairs and found Nicole beside Nate.

"When did you arrive?" Anne asked in surprise, but didn't move to greet her daughter. "Where are your things?"

"I arrived today, I won't be coming home," Nicole said quietly and felt Nate's fingers grasping hers to give support. "I'm staying at the Palace."

"Nate, will you excuse us for a second?" Anne asked, looking away from Nicole's eyes.

"No, he's staying." Nicole said before Nate could move. He stayed in silence, looking from his sister to his mother as they spoke.

"Well, as you please," Anne gestured apathetically and walked to a couch, taking her purse. "As I said, I'm late. Maybe you could come with us to the Waldorf's tonight."

"Mom, the drugs you found were dad's." Nicole said at once and Nate glanced at her, who squeezed gently his fingers and smiled reassuring, looking at him.

"What?" Anne stopped her pace, staring at her children.

"The drugs were dad's," Nate repeated what he sister said and continued. "I mean, I guess he thought it'd be easier on everyone if I took the hit. But they were his."

Anne stood in silence for a second, before sitting on the couch. Nate glanced at Nicole who nodded for him to continue and he let go of her hand, approaching their mother.

"I don't understand," Anne said, looking at the wooden floor.

"Tell her, Nate," Nicole said reassuringly again as she stepped closer to them and sat on the couch's arm, beside Nate.

"He promised me he'd flush the coke," Nate continued as he felt Nicole's hand on his shoulder. "Then I caught him buying more."

"The lengths that you will go to stay out of trouble, Nate," Anne said, narrowing her look and looking at her son. Nate stared at her in awe, glancing at Nicole for a second, who watched everything as if she wasn't surprised by anything.

"He's telling the truth, mom," Nicole said quietly from over Nate's shoulder. Anne shot a look at her.

"Well, you aren't exactly Miss Right, are you?" she snarled. Nate, still in awe looked back at his sister, who sighed trying to keep calm.

"This isn't about me," Nicole replied as calmly as she could. "Or Nate."

"Mom, dad has a problem," Nate said right after, looking back at their mother. "We need your help."

"You look down at the floor, every time someone tries to tell you the truth," Nate said lowly as he observed his mother again staring at the ground. "Will you just look at me?"

"He's been under a lot of pressure," Anne started, her voice failing slightly as she tried to control her nervousness. "And if you hadn't been so difficult lately…"

"What?" Nicole shouted higher than she expected, both Nate and Anne looked at her. "What does Nate have to do with it?"

"You be quiet, Nicole," Anne said, standing up. "You've just came home, you know nothing that is going on."

"Yeah, you're right!" Nicole said, also standing up, which made Nate also stand up and stay between the two of them. "I don't. And that's because you and dad keep lying to me as if I'm not part of the family. You try to keep the appearances even to me. Can't you see this is what got him into this in the first place?"

"May-Maybe if you hadn't left," Anne continued again trying helplessly to find a reasonable explanation. "And if you had gone to college."

"No, Mrs. Archibald, we're not going there," Nicole continued, stepping forward and gesturing for Nate to move, who did, but kept himself by her side. "What I've done or Nate has done had nothing to do with this!"

"How can you be so sure? Why do you think your father is stressed?" Anne continued, walking around the living room and gesturing around. "First you don't go to college, then you move to Los Angeles and we know so little of your life, now Nate doesn't want to go to Dartmouth and he has issues with Blair, too. Of course your father is stressed!"

"Don't blame us for his wrong decisions," Nicole said and Anne stopped in the middle of the room, looking at her. Nate stayed in silence. "You expect us to be a certain way, but we're humans, we want to do things our way too. You can't expect us to be the way you want us to... And this is no reason for dad to drug himself and let Nate take the hit, and lie to us. TO US! We're his family, Mom."

"Mom, she's right," Nate said lowly, not very sure if he should speak. "Dad needs our help."

"Not another word of this," Anne said after staring at her children for long seconds. Nicole sighed impatiently, but didn't say anything. "We have a celebration dinner to go to. Please wear a tie," she continued as she walked past Nate and then Nicole. "And you, your father would be happy to see you there."

Nicole rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything, observing as their mother left the room and went downstairs. As soon as they heard the front door closing, Nate looked at her.

"Don't worry, she believes in you, which is why she ran away." Nicole said and Nate nodded.

**x**

"We're late, Nic," Nate rushed sitting on the couch of the sitting room in Nicole's suite at the Palace.

"I know," Nicole said walking as she put on her black stilettos. "Don't worry, I've rented a car, we will get there in a minute."

Nate observed as she loosed her hair over her shoulders and adjusted the sleeves tight black dress on her body, before taking a small purse she left over her messed bed. In reality, all room was a mess: bags everywhere, some clothes thrown over the bed, some over the couch he was sitting on. Nicole was always very messy with her things and he actually missed that.

"There, I'm ready," she said as she took a cigarette from a package and put between her lips. "Come, let's go," she rushed him, talking with the cigarette on her lips. Nate followed her out of the room and to the corridor.

"You can't smoke inside the hotel," Chuck's voice came from the elevator as the doors opened and both Nate and Nicole stepped inside.

"Good thing I'm connected," Nicole said with a smile and winked her right eye at Chuck as she opened an exquisite silver zippo in the elevator and lit her cigarette.

"You two are coming to Victrola tonight, right?" Chuck asked as the three of them stepped in the reception.

"Vic—what?" Nicole asked as they walked outside.

"You didn't tell her?" Chuck asked and Nate shook his head.

"Hey, gray Mercedes," Nicole told one of the security guards and turned to Nate. "Told what about what?

"Chuck almost got this club and… Ah, I'll tell you later." Nate said distractively as he watched Chuck entering his limo that parked beside them.

"Don't you two bail on me!" Chuck said from the window before the limo took off and Nicole glanced at Nate.

"He does live in his little world, doesn't he?" she asked with a laugh.

"Tell me about it," Nate said as a gray Mercedes parked beside them and the security guard handed the keys to Nicole.

**x**

"Miss and Mister Archibald," the security guard in front of the Waldorf's building greeted as Nicole and Nate left the car. Nicole handed the keys for him and greeted back with a half smile.

"Your parents arrived about half an hour ago," he informed before taking Nicole's car as both Nic and Nate stepped inside the building and to the elevator.

"Anything I should know before hand?" Nicole asked when Nate pressed the button to the penthouse.

"Despite Blair's dad going to France with a male model, which you already know," Nate said thoughtfully, taking his sister's hand. "I'm not that great with Blair either."

"Right, we can talk about that later," she said between her breath as the door opened and revealed the Waldorf's beautiful hall in front of them.

The beautiful Waldorf penthouse hasn't changed so much since Nicole's last visit years ago. Still exquisite and charming, the decoration was flawless and she could feel almost comfortable as she crossed the hall with Nate to the sitting room and the piano sound filled her ears.

"Hello, welcome!" Eleanor's warming voice said as they reached the sitting room. She was wearing a high waist black skirt and a buffed t-shirt. "Oh my God, look who is here!"

"Hello, Ms. Waldorf," Nicole said with a smile as she reached for Eleanor and shook hands with her. "I'm sorry for our lateness, it was entirely my fault."

"Oh, don't you worry," Eleanor said with a sincere smile. "You look ravishing!"

"Thank you," Nicole replied and glanced at her parents. The Captain already had a cup half full of whiskey in his hands and her mother look more apprehensive than ever.

After Nicole and Nate greeted Eleanor, they were both directed to the sitting room and sat side by side. Nicole gladly accepted a glass of wine when she realized this would be a long night. Nate however had stood up when he saw Blair coming down the stairs.

Blair was dressed beautifully in a green dress with pearls around her neck and a dark, yet beautiful, lipstick on her lips. Nate approached her before she stepped in the living room.

"Hey," he said as he approached her. "You look beautiful tonight."

Blair forced a slight smile and Nate surely noticed something was wrong.

"Anything on your mind?" he asked innocently. Blair shot an almost lazy look at him.

"No," she said and paused for a second. "Is there anything you wanna say?"

"No," he replied back, but frowned slightly at her attitude. Blair forced another smile and walked past by him, towards Nicole that was taking a long sip on her drink.

"Hey Nicole," Blair said and Nicole stood up with a smile.

"Hey, you look beautiful!" Nicole said as she hugged Blair for a second. Amazingly, Blair returned the hug with a smile on her face.

"You look really good, too," Blair said after the split up. "I heard you were back. I hope you will stay for good… ?"

"I guess, we'll see," Nicole replied smiling and glanced at Nate as he walked past by her and sat on the couch.

Nicole always liked Blair. She didn't quite understand why, but Blair was like a little sister she never had. Before leaving for Los Angeles, Nicole was Blair main source when it came to make up and anything a 12 year old girl should know back then.

The next couple of hours were filled by an endless mindless chatter from Nate and Nicole's parents and Ms. Waldorf. Blair, Nate and Nicole barely spoke through the entire time and Nate who sat between his sister and Blair, landed more towards his sister. And Nicole could feel the tension between him and Blair, but chose not to speak about it at the time.

As they were still eating the appetizers in the living room, Nicole noted their father had had too much alcohol as he started to talk a bit louder and more effusive than usual. Nicole herself was starting to feel the effects of a bit too much wine, but was far from being drunk.

"We've celebrated the partnership," Howard Archibald said, gesturing his glass of whiskey. "But I don't think I've given Eleanor her just due."

Nate shot a look at Nicole, who looked back at him and placed her empty glass of wine on the coffee table, taking his hand and staying in silence.

"This lady is fantastic!" Howard continued mumbling and Anne looked intently at him, who didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, well, uh," Eleanor said awkwardly. "Thank you, Howard," she took a porcelain bowl and offered around. "More cheese? Have you tried the Humboldt fog? It's quite good."

"Eleanor is right," Anne said even more awkwardly. "Enough of the business talk."

"Right!" Howard agreed, refusing Eleanor's cheese, taking another sip of this drink. "Let's talk about our families other joint venture: the union of our children."

Nicole felt both and Blair's and Nate's eyes over her, as if both of them were screaming for a rescue. Nicole glanced from one to the other and then intently at her father as she felt Nate's fingers gently squeezing hers.

"I have to say," Howard continued, completely ignoring his daughter's stare. "Every time I look at Anne's finger and I see Blair's future engagement ring…"

Anne shyly showed her Cornelius Vanderbilt's ring, filled with beautiful diamond stones. Nicole sighed a bit impatiently and nervous at the same time.

"… I can hardly contain my joy," Howard continued rambling. "Blair, why don't you try it on?"

"No, thank you," Blair replied almost immediately. "It's alright."

"Yes, I would like to see it," Eleanor was the one to ignore Blair this time and Howard immediately gestured to his wife.

"Anne, give it to Blair."

"Dad, she doesn't want to try on the ring," Nate said almost automatically. Nicole squeezed his fingers gently as his parents stared at him.

"Howie, why don't we just leave it alone?" Anne said with a false smile, pretending to sound casual.

"Just give it to her," Howard said in a warning tone, a bit more serious. Again Nicole felt Nate's and Blair's eyes over her. Anne stood up and handed the ring to Blair as Howard kept going.

"Eleanor, do we have another bottle?" he asked. "If there was ever an occasion for the toast, this is it. They're gonna make such a beautiful couple," he gestured back to Nate and Blair who has the ring in her hand, but didn't try it. "Now come on, slide that thing on… That's what I'm talking about, huh?" he added when she tried the ring with an awkward smile and showed to everyone, but quickly taking it off her finger and handing back to one.

"Oh, it's very pretty," Nicole caught Eleanor's low comment and desirable look over the ring and didn't say anything, glancing at Nate that seemed a lot uncomfortable.

"It looks perfect on her, yeah? Yeah. And how about a toast everyone, huh? Everybody, bottoms up!" Howard continued blabbing and Nate stood up at once, leaving Nicole's hand.

"Dad, why don't we go smoke the cigars we got, huh?" Nate said under his breath and glanced at Nicole, who nodded reassuringly.

"Hmmm, good idea." Howard said searching his pockets and already leaving, after placing his glass on a table. "Excuse us."

Nicole observed as Nate and Howard left to the hall and she heard as the elevator's door closed. Blair excused herself right after and went upstairs to her room. Nicole stayed where she was, her thoughts swinging in her head… But she was brought back to the conversation as she heard Eleanor Waldorf.

"So Nicole," she said, breaking the tension. "What are your plans for New York? You know I would love for you to pose for one of my collections again."

"I-uh… I don't know yet," Nicole said distractively and smiled falsely. "I just arrived so I'm not really sure of what will I do— Actually, if you excuse me, I could use a cigarette, too."

"Of course," Eleanor nodded and she stood up, taking her purse and walking towards the elevator.

"Come on, you bitch," she said lowly to herself, pressing the button for the elevator several times. "Come on up."

**x**

"I'm the adult, you're the kid!" Nicole heard her father's risen voice as she stepped out of the elevator and she ran to the door, observing Nate and him arguing in front of the building.

"I know," Nate said with a sigh. Neither he nor Howard noticed Nicole watching from the door.

"I'm going back inside," Howard attempted to walk towards the building again, but Nate held him.

"Dad, no—"

"Nate, let go of me!" and next thing Nicole saw was his father fist punching Nate on the face, who fell on the ground with the sudden attack.

"DAD!" Nicole screamed in a reflex and ran towards Nate, just in time to see a police car pulling off in the sidewalk.

"Are you okay, Nate?" Nicole asked, helping Nate to stand up. He nodded, but his eyes were clearly confused and he had a small trail of blood in the corner of his lips.

"Here, let me see it," she approached him and cleaned the blood with her fingers, kissing him on the cheek. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"What is going on here?" a police officer asked, approaching them.

"Nothing, he's my son," Howard said, a little confused himself. "They're my children."

"Is everything alright?" the officer asked, looking at Nate.

"I said everything is fine—" Howard said irritated.

"I'm not asking you," the officer said in a warning tone, turning back to Nate.

"I'm sorry, dad," Nate looked at his father. "You need help," then he turned to the officer and whispered before walking towards the security of the building. "You might check his pockets while you're at it."

Nicole stayed where she was, watching as the guards checked her father, while Nate talked to the security guard. Nicole then saw as one of the officers pulled a sack of cocaine from one of Howard's pockets. She exchanged a look with her father before the guards pulled him and looked down when he walked past by her.

She didn't look when the police car started to take off and exchanged then a look with Nate, before the security guard asked if she wanted her car and she nodded. Before she could go to talk to Nate, however, Blair showed up and she kept a distance.

"Where are you going?" Blair asked and Nate sighed.

"To Victrola, I promised Chuck," Nate lied, he wasn't really sure of where he was about to go. "It's important to him."

"I saw your father get arrested," Blair said with a serious tone, for some reason her voice was failing. "Why didn't you come to me? I would've listened."

"I've tried, Blair," Nate said sincerely. "But every time I try, something's got your attention. A dinner party, you know, a masked ball."

"Yeah, let's talk about that masked ball," Blair nodded, her voice failing even more, but she held on tight. "Let's talk about how while I was waiting for you to find me, so that we finally could be together, and you were confessing your feelings and kissing Serena."

Nate stared at her for a second and didn't say anything. Did Jenny tell her? Only Jenny knew it. While Nicole already waited for him inside her car, she observed as Blair's limo parked behind her Mercedes.

"I thought I was doing everything right—"

"It's not your fault," he cut her, looking down.

"Do you love me?" she asked suddenly looking straight at his confused blue eyes, as her dark one slowly filled up with tears. Nate looked at her, but hesitated: he didn't want to lie to her. Not again. And with his hesitation, Blair closed her eyes, holding back her tears.

"You should deal with your father," she said, her voice still failing, but the tears disappeared from her eyes as she looked back at him. "He needs you. You know what? I don't."

And before he could say anything she stepped to her limo and her driver opened the door. Nate observed as the limo took off and slowly walked to his sister's car, opening the passenger's door and sitting, taking a long sigh and closing his eyes.

"Rough night, isn't it?" Nicole asked, looking at him when he entered.

"Yeah," he replied in a sigh, looking at her. "Where are we going?"

"Well, I'm going to the police station," Nicole said, turning on the car. "I will call mom from there. And you are not. I can drop you off at the Palace, you can stay in my suite."

"Why am I not going with you?" Nate asked as she took off with the car.

"Because you've done too much already," Nicole said with a smile, glancing briefly at him then back at the street, but putting one of her hands on his knee. "You did the right thing, but now leave it with me. There's nothing else you can do for now."

Nate placed his hand over hers and nodded as she glanced briefly at him again. He then took another long sigh and rested his head on the back of the seat, observing the city outside._**  


* * *

A/N:**__ So this is it for now. Let me know what you think! ;)_


	3. Chapter II: Like brother, like brother

_**A/N:**__ First of all I want to thank all the views, alerts and those who put the story in your favorites list. Thank you so much! A special thanks to the reviewers too, and please review more! I would really like to know what you guys think of the story._

_This is a short chapter between Victor, Victrola and Seventeen Candles. Enjoy!  


* * *

_**Chapter II – Like brother, like brother**

Gregory Bass entered his office with that usual reckless look in his eyes. In reality it seemed he never wanted even to know what was going on around him, if for some reason whatever was going on didn't have anything to do with him. Problem was: with Gregory Bass around, it always had to do with him.

"Good morning, Mr. Bass," Lacey, his secretary, said in a mist of fear and excitement. "How was Finland?"

"Terrible," Gregory answered apathetically without even acknowledging her presence with a glance. It was as if he was talking to the walls.

Even with this blunt and automatic answer, Lacey felt as if her stomach turned upside down and sighed discreetly, drooling inside as she observed him still carelessly flipping the morning newspapers that she left over her table for him everyday.

Gregory Bass was by far the most charming and handsome man she, and _many_ other women, had ever known. While Chuck bore an incredible resemblance to their deceased mother, Greg was a perfect younger version of their father.

As his father once was, Greg's hair was blond and short, but always looking a little messy as if someone had just turned a blower in front of his face, and this was one of his signatures: the messy hair that always brought him that young look. His eyes were of a vivid light green and his face features were strong, while he used a scruffy beard, trimmed really short, which involuntarily have him a bad guy look.

And hell would freeze over before you saw Greg Bass not using a suit outside. That particular day he was wearing an exquisite black single-breasted Armani suit that fitted perfectly in his slim, slightly muscled body. Accompanying the black jacket, he used a black pair of trousers with two pleats forward each, a white shirt, a black skinny tie and a pair of black Armani formal shoes. In his right hand he carried a small simple bag with only his laptop.

"Mr. Chuck called and asked you to call him back as soon as possible," Lacey attempted again to make him glance at her.

While she tried helplessly to be noted, all the other employees remained in complete and absolute silence in their desks since he stepped out of the elevator. Those who had to talk, on the phone or even with each other, did so in whispers.

The office located right in the business core of London was very exquisite and modern. The big room was filled with ten glassed tables with details in metal, the chairs were all made of black leather and the office was decorated with modern pop art among some metal sculptures. The black floor had small white carpets and the reception side had white sofas. Everything in the office was either made of glass, leather, metal and in black or white.

The big wall windows illuminated the whole place and Gregory's own room, obviously separated from the others, followed the same theme.

"Right, forward his and all other calls I missed in these two days to my e-mail," he said taking a copy from the New York Times, The Sun and business newspapers with his free hand before turning to walk to his room, again completely ignoring Lacey.

As he walked from his secretary's desk outside his room and entered his office, he noted she kept everything cleaned. The black and white curtains were open to reveal the also glassed walls behind his desk that showed all of London at his feet.

After closing the door behind him, Greg walked towards his desk and found his coffee already waiting for him. He took his laptop and turned it on as he threw himself in the comfortable chair with a sigh, opening the _The New York Times_ in front of him and glancing at his screen to find an e-mail from Lacey already there waiting for him. Some calls from his father, some from Chuck and hundreds from his business deals.

He took a sip from his coffee before taking the phone and dialing Chuck's cell phone number. He glanced at the silver Rolex in his pulse to check the hour as it started ringing: 12:30 PM. He quickly counted the hours in his head and deduced it was 7:30 AM in New York and smiled with himself thinking Chuck wouldn't be very pleased to be wakening up at 7:30 on a Saturday.

"My God, don't you sleep?" Chuck's tired and sleepy voice answered annoyed after the fifth ring.

"It's past midday here, but actually, no," Greg answered with a half laugh. "I don't sleep much."

'Who is it at this time? OH MY GOD!', Greg heard a clearly female voice screaming on the other side of the line.

"Have you been putting drugs on girl's drinks for them to sleep with you?" Gregory asked playfully as he heard the girl still screaming on the other side, but he couldn't hear the words properly.

"Blair, for God's sake," Chuck said lazy on the phone as the girl, Blair, kept on screaming.

"Blair?" Greg asked impressed, raising his eyebrows. As far as he knew, the untouchable Blair Waldorf was Nate Archibald's girlfriend. _Tsc, tsc,_ he thought to himself.

"Yeah, well," Chuck said slyly as he observed Blair blabbing annoyed to herself as she got dressed. "I will tell you later. For now, go to gossip girl, there's something there you would like to know."

"Gossip girl?" Gregory asked with certain incredulity. "That stupid blog you showed me once?"

"Yeah, that one," Chuck said still half laughing at Blair getting dressed and fixing her hair. "Trust me, you will love the girl once you see one of the latest news she published."

"Right," Greg said not sounding very interested. "Take care of that screaming girl. You know it's not good when they're screaming _after_ the sex, right?"

"I can handle it," Chuck said with a smile on the other side. "Talk to you later."

Greg laughed with himself after hanging up and turned to his laptop, typing the Gossip Girl blog address and waiting for it to load, while he flipped through some papers that were placed over his desk, with a note for him to sign all of them. He then glanced at the screen for a second and stopped everything he was doing.

A picture with Howard Archibald guarded by two cops, with his wife, son and daughter behind completely caught his attention.

_**Bad News for the Archibalds**_

_Is it only coincidence or it was just the oldest Archibald arrive back in town and their family is, again, torn into pieces? We think not!_

_Yesterday at 5th Avenue we spotted a father and son showdown and next thing we know, the Captain Archibald is charged with fraud, embezzlement and - hold your breaths - drug possession._

_It was only five years ago, when we weren't even here, that a big Archibald drama took place: the recent graduated __**oldest N**__ from Constance left for LA when her parents pressured her to go to college. We were young, but we remember it wasn't only her parents and little brother that stood clueless at her empty room. We wonder what __**GB**__ thinks of that?_

Greg stared at the screen for a few seconds, before choosing to scroll down to see if he could find out when Nicole returned. After passing through some unimportant stories, he found the news of her arrival in New York: the day before, in the morning. She surely knew how to cause some trouble.

And this Gossip Girl wondered what he was thinking? He wasn't really sure himself, but one thing was certain in his mind: how _dared_ she to go back like this and not tell him?

**x**

"Oh, look at this," Nicole stated in an annoyed tone as she flipped through the business section in the New York Times and found a big picture of her father leaving the police station that morning.

"I told you not to come," she continued as Nate walked by her side holding his cup of hot chocolate and hers as they left the elevator to the floor she stayed on The Palace. "Now your face is printed all over the papers."

They left the police station early that morning when the sun hadn't even come out properly yet and she couldn't believe the papers had time to catch a picture and make it a first page on the business section.

Their attorney was able to get their father out of jail, but their mother freaked out when she got at the station and found out the hole was much deeper than they thought; embezzlement and fraud, with the costs up to one million dollars. However, Anne was able to pay his bail and the attorney was already arranging a trial.

When they left, Anne asked Nicole to leave. Nate, of course, went with his sister. They both looked extremely tired, with big spots under their eyes for not getting any sleep, but they hanged on and went for breakfast at the closest Starbucks they found, then heading to the hotel.

"The papers can't be worse than gossip girl," Nate commented sincerely while she put her card on the door to open. "At least they're not as cruel."

"Well, it's there too." Nicole said opening the door for him to enter. She threw the card and the paper on the little table beside the door and shouted the door after Nate entered.

"Is it?" Nate asked, looking surprised at her. "I mean, wait a second, did _you_ check gossip girl out?"

"Briefly, while you ordered at Starbucks," she said, taking off his coat that she was using and taking her hot chocolate from his hand as he stared at her with half a smirk. "What? Curiosity killed the cat, I know. Whoever the fuck she is, she knows more about myself than I do."

"Yeah, you get used to it," he said and walked with her towards the black leather couch in the sitting room, only in time to find an enormous bouquet of red and blue roses over the coffee table in front of it. "Whoa, what the hell are these?"

Nicole glanced at the coffee table, only noticing the flowers because Nate stared at them. She felt a strange cold in her stomach before reaching for the note above them.

_Heard about your father. I'm sorry.  
You know where to find me if you need anything.  
- James._

"Oh, James," she said with a smile after reading the note, with a mist of relief, disappointment and fear.

"James?" Nate stood clueless as she left the note over the flowers and threw his coat with her other messy clothes over a bag, cleaning space for them to sit over the couch.

"This guy I was uh… With." She half explained, sitting beside him and taking a sip of her drink.

"With?" Nate couldn't hide his curiosity, trying to hide his smirk by also taking a sip of his drink.

"Yeah, we met in Vegas about a year ago," she said carelessly. "Since then we've been kind of on and off— Speaking of that, what's up with you and Blair?" she successfully changed the subject.

"Well, we broke up last night," Nate replied, looking away from her and sighing. He still wasn't sure if he did the right thing.

"Really? Why?" Nicole asked arching an eyebrow. She didn't really have the time to talk to him about what happened last night before they headed for the police station, but she didn't imagine it was this bad.

"Serena," he glanced at her just in time to catch her almost choking with her chocolate.

"Did you tell her?!" she asked in a complete surprise. Of course she knew about him and Serena at the wedding, in fact after it happened, she was the first and only person he told about.

Nate sighed and noted his sister had a lot of catching up to do. Well, he could simply tell her to check out the last few archives tagged with Blair, Nate and Serena on gossip girl, but he proceeded on telling her his true version of everything involving his relationship with Blair and Serena.

"… So I guess Jenny did tell her and we broke up last night," he finished a bit before they both had also finished their chocolate.

"Well, I think it's best that way," Nicole said thoughtfully.

"You do?" Nate asked in a surprise. "I thought you liked Blair."

"I do, very much," she explained fast. "Look, Blair is beautiful, sweet and nice, well, at least with me she's nice," she specified when he shot a doubtful look at her. "She's a real good girl behind that bitch shield she carries around. But I honestly don't think she is the girl for you. Neither is Serena."

"Well, you're my sister," Nate said with a laugh, lying against the couch. "There will never be a girl in the entire world that actually _is_ for me."

"That's quite true," Nicole replied sharing his laugh. "But seriously, maybe you should think more ahead. You said Serena's not interested and is in love with this Dan, so forget her and move on. As for Blair…"

"Sometimes I think things could work between Blair and I," he confessed. "But it's so hard."

"It's called a relationship, honey," Nicole started but heard a buzz coming from her cell phone that was in one of Nate's coat pockets. She lazily threw herself on the couch and reached for the coat over the bag, taking the cell phone and checking a text message.

_**From:**__ Unknown Number  
Back to NY without telling me? – Greg_

Nicole felt again that same cold in her stomach, only this time much stronger. She glanced quickly at Nate that remained where he was, silently observing the nervousness in her.

_**To:**__ Unknown Number  
How did you find my #? Btw, why should I tell u?_

"I-I'm sorry," she stuttered after registering Greg's number in her contact list. "What was I talking about?"

"Nothing," Nate said observing her; her hands were shaking very slightly and her pupils were only two little dots in the beautiful bright blue of her eyes, not to mention she looked just like she had seen a ghost. "Wow, something's got your attention there. Is it this James guy? Tell him roses are really dorky."

"I actually wished it was him," Nicole said with a slightly relieved smile. "And it's not dorky, it's cute."

"It's something some old dude would do, like our dad or something," Nate said playfully and Nicole laughed, hearing again to her cell phone buzzing and vibrating on her hand.

_**From:**__ Greg  
I just know things; you should be used by now. Btw, because you left leaving only a note, remember? Think I deserved another one._

_**To:**__ Greg  
Get the fuck over yourself. The world doesn't spin around u._

_**From:**__ Greg  
I beg to differ. If it didn't you wouldn't be replying these so fast._

"Motherfucker!" Nicole said after the brief minutes in silence on which she exchanged the messages.

"Totally," Nate agreed playfully, glancing at her, he got distracted counting how many clothes were out of her bags and all around the room.

"No, I mean, it's just… UGH! I can't believe this!" she exclaimed annoyed, taking her free hand to her hair, messing it like a mad woman. Gregory got so much on her nerves.

"Will you tell me what's going on or do I have to guess?" Nate asked, observing his sister almost pulling her hair out. As far as he knew, only one person left her like that…

"I bet you'd get in the first guess," she glanced at him, sighing as she stopped, fixing her hair back.

"Gregory Bass contacted you?!" he asked in a mist of shock and excitement, he almost laughed when she nodded her head and looked totally defeated and helpless, but he stifled his laugh quietly to show support. "You have got to be kidding me."

Gregory Bass didn't contact _anyone_, people _went_ to _him_. It was just the way it always been. People got used to it, even if unconsciously. And he certainly wouldn't contact Nicole after she left him clueless of where she was, two days after graduation night. She never contacted him back, he found out she was in Los Angeles because Nate told Chuck and Chuck told him, but he would never go after her. But _now_ he did.

"No, wish I was," she said throwing the cell phone to him, so he could read the messages. She observed as his eyes grew while he read and an unstoppable smile took over his lips.

"Well, we can totally understand why Chuck is the way he is," Nate said with a laugh when he heard the buzz and the phone vibrating in his hand. "One more," he said, handing it to her.

_**From:**__ Greg  
See what I mean? Now you won't answer to prove me wrong._

Nicole rolled her eyes, clearly annoyed, but trying hard to hide it. She then turned the screen for Nate to read, who couldn't help a sincere laugh.

"It's not funny," Nicole said annoyed.

"Well, he was pretty upset when you left," Nate said carefully, they never talked in details about the day she left. And he remembered clearly at his parents and him staring at her empty closet in her room, all her personal possessions also gone. A few minutes after they found out, Greg Bass arrived in their house, saying she left a note with the concierge of his building with a simple 'Goodbye' in it. They all had no idea of where she had gone… Indeed, he was _very_ upset.

"He was?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Yeah, very," Nate nodded. "He even left for England."

"Yeah, and came back a month after engaged," Nicole said rolling her eyes. She heard of Greg's sudden engagement to this British girl over the social columns in paper. She still couldn't believe he would ever get engaged. Not Greg Bass, while friends he always said marriage was a waste of time, and suddenly he's engaged?

"Since when do you care?" Nate asked, raising his eyebrows. As far as he knew, Greg and Nicole were simply really good friends, but then he snapped. "Wait, _oh my god_!"

"No," Nicole replied almost automatically at her brother's suggestive look. "No, no, no, no, NO! He was my friend, he should've told me."

"Well, it's not like he knew where you were back then…" he said, again carefully.

"He had my older cell phone number!" she said defensively, even though she was more than sure that she wouldn't have answered. "Anyway, this reminds me, I have buy a New York chip for mine." She added standing up and taking again his coat. "Come, we're going to Times Square."

"Oh, but Greg just found that one out," he said teasing and she shot a look at him.

"Well, don't worry," she added sarcastically. "I will tell him the new one. Now stop laughing and let's go!"

**x**

"So, Blair birthday's party is tonight, right?" Nicole said after pressing send with a message for all of her contacts, informing her new number, as she stepped out of the store with Nate. "I've got an invitation at the hotel, you coming?"

"I don't know if I should," Nate replied shrugging his shoulders, with his hands on his pants pockets.

"Why not?" Nicole asked, keeping her pace beside him. "I think that even though you guys are not together anymore, she deserves it. You've been together since forever."

"Yeah, I—" Nate started but his cell phone started ringing. "Wait a second," he added, taking the cell from his pocket and answering when he read 'Home' in the screen.

"Hey mom," he answered.

"Hi Nate," Anne said on the other line. "Where are you?"

"Times Square, with Nicole," he replied as he and his sister kept walking.

"How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine—"

"Well, could you come home now?" she cut before he continued, her voice sounding serious and concerned. "I need to talk something important with you. And please don't bring your sister this time."

"Ok," Nate said glancing at Nicole for a second. "I'll be there in a few."

"I'm always impressed by how she cares if I'm okay," Nicole said dryly when Nate hung up. She could note their mother trying really hard to avoid her discreetly.

"Oh Nic," Nate replied, glancing at her. "Mom can be self-centered and selfish, but you sort of created this," he stared back at her when she glanced at him. "You left and it took you almost two months to tell us where you were. And after that, you barely told her about yourself."

"Of course, she didn't ask," Nicole replied defensively, looking straight again as they walked. There were a lot of things Nate really didn't know about their family, but this wasn't the right to talk about them.

"She doesn't have the guts to," Nate replied. "But anyway, I gotta go. She said she needs to talk to me."

"Wanna me to go with you?" she stopped at the subway entrance with him.

"No, no need," he said with half a smile. "You must be so jet lagged, you need some rest."

"You need too," she said, hugging him. "Call me if you need anything and text me later about Blair's party."

"Yeah, I'll see you later," he said before entering the subway station and Nicole kept her pace, entering a gallery at Times Square.

She walked slowly in the gallery, observing the stores and windows before she actually stopped in front of Tiffany's to check the new diamonds on display. She stood there for a second amazed by then and glanced for a second inside the store, only to find no one less than Chuck Bass waiting for one of the girls of the store to finish his payment.

Nicole smiled mischievously and walked towards the rotating door, entering the store. As soon as she stepped inside Chuck caught a glimpse of her and discreetly turned to the girl.

"Could you hurry up a little?" he said lowly. The girl glanced at him and nodded, but not even if he was the _The Flash_ he could escape Nicole now. She approached him and lied against the glassed counter, looking at his eyes.

"Well, well, well…" she started sarcastically and Chuck simply glanced at her. "Chuck Bass at Tiffany's," she continued. "If you really turned up like your brother, I could bet this is an 'I'm sorry for fucking you last night and not calling you today' gift. Good choice, works like a charm."

"I wonder how you would know it works," he replied not less mischievously than her. She smiled, not offended.

"And I wonder how the fuck your brother found out I'm back," she replied, this time not smiling. He looked down to her, since he was also taller, and half smiled.

"I told you," he said. "Gossip girl."

"Well," she took a step closer to him and continued lowly. She just _knew_ it was him to told his brother. "It's not like your 'vice-fucking-president of Bass Industries' brother checks up Gossip Girl every fucking morning, is it?"

"You'd be surprised," he replied as calmly at before, nodding for the girl that handed him his credit card and listened to the conversation with an arched eyebrow, he then took the necklace box and turned again to Nicole.

"By the way, you tend to use the word 'fuck' quite often when you're mad," he said with his usual low sarcastic tone, approaching her. "Some trauma you'd like to talk about? Maybe _work_ it?"

She couldn't believe how much Chuck was like Greg, so she just stared at him for a second before replying.

"You're unbelievable," she said in a scoffing tone, while he smiled.

"That's what they all say," she said, faking a humble gesture with his hand. "But usually after I've already _worked_ them. I'm flattered," before she could reply he blew her a kiss and turned away, heading for the exit.

"I'm onto you, Chuck," Nicole said and he turned at the exit, smiling at her.

"I'm not sure Greg will like to know that you're _on_ me, though," he said winking at her and confirming what she already knew; it was him who told his brother. Then he left the store and Nicole shook her head, leaving a little after.


End file.
